PianoLab Receives 4.5 Star Review in Limelight
'... this year's PianoLab concert series comprised five concerts over 14 and 15 June, offering a more condensed but no less diverse, innovative and high-quality program. [...] Importantly, this series confirms PianoLab's significance in exploring and promoting the development and presentation of piano music.'Limelight
The second iteration of PianoLab was held at ILA (Adelaide's Centre of Immersive Light and Art) over the weekend (Friday 14–Saturday 15 June). Co-curated by Lewis Godwin (Creative Producer at ILA) and composer, pianist and Elder Conservatorium alumnus Benjamin Nichols, the two-day festival showcased an eclectic and intriguing array of performances, offering a place for traditional piano recitals to meet digital technologies and experimental composition.
Vivian Choi Milton opened the festival with a solo recital program of Liszt, Messiaen and Kate Moore in The Lab, before Tim Koch and Andrew Lang explored the question 'what space is left for the piano in 2024?' with granular synthesis, live sampling, and generative visuals, supported by a unique collaboration from electronic musician Anders Bogdanzowicz, contemporary performance artist Jazmine Deng, and multimedia digital artist Max Brading.
On Saturday afternoon, the wonderful Eurelia Trio (Paris Netting, violin; Hamish Netting, cello; and Yundi Yuan, piano) performed Mikhail Glinka's Trio pathétique, and Simón Pazos Quintana gave a scintillating performance of two works by Mosolov. As evening arrived, Dr Helen Ayres (violin) and Michael Ierace (piano) played masterpieces by Lili Boulanger, Debussy and Ravel, setting up a beautiful dialogue with the Impressionist-jazz influences behind the work of emerging jazz pianist, singer and composer Ciara Ferguson. The festival culminated in the Light Room Studio with Corin Ileto's Lux Aeterna; and Sebastian Collen, Maryam Rahmani and CAPITAL WASTE's Trapezia. A special thanks to the City of Adelaide, Australian Piano Warehouse and Recitals Australia for supporting PianoLab.
